Are there steps/procedure in attempting to retrieve stolen items from barracks?

2018-07-27T12:10:46-04:00

While on leave an NCO cut the tape on the door to my barracks room, allowing another soldier into the room. That soldier lived in my room for a little over a week while I was on leave. Upon my return, several personal items were missing, boxes & bags had been gone through and trash on the floor. Some of which have family/sentimental value and cannot be replaced or compensated for. My leadership says I can press charges on the NCO who illegally cut the tape on my door. As a private trying to grow successfully in my career, I am very uncomfortable pressing charges on an NCO. Are there other steps I can take to track down the soldier who was put into my room and attempt to retrieve my items? Or maybe a department that provides assistance with something like this?
(This message was forwarded from my son)

Response by LTC Stephan Porter made Jul 27 at 2018 12:16 PM

2018-07-27T12:16:34-04:00

I would go see the IG and legal for advice!

Response by LTC Stephan Porter made Jul 27 at 2018 12:16 PM

2018-07-27T12:16:59-04:00

Let us know here what the tell you!

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jul 27 at 2018 12:38 PM

2018-07-27T12:38:41-04:00

The NCO had no right cutting the tape, and formal charges should be brought against him and the person that stole the items.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2018 12:51 PM

2018-07-27T12:51:16-04:00

Respectfully, your son is a private. He doesn’t press charges against anyone. “My leadership says I can press charges on the NCO who illegally cut the tape on my door.”
That’s simply not how the Army works. If that is indeed what your son told you, your son is either in the absolute worst Army unit of all time, or he has not told you accurate information.

That just doesn’t sound right. Honestly, I’d find it far more likely that a private lost or sold his property, and is now trying to find a way out of his predicament, than his Commander telling that private to press charges on an NCO.

Best of luck.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2018 1:47 PM

2018-07-27T13:47:34-04:00

He needs to file a report if he had things stolen. He would file it with the MPs since it's on base. He can't "press charges" anywhere. Not even in the civilian world. That is generally up to a prosecutor.

If this is true, he needs to file a report.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Jul 27 at 2018 1:58 PM

2018-07-27T13:58:03-04:00

I'm confused. What does cutting tape mean? Was his room a single room? Did the NCO not have authority to put someone in the room? There are so many questions that this scenario doesn't explain. I'm not aware of any reason for your son's room to have tape on it shy of it being a crime scene. Why would an NCO put a soldier in a barracks room without the decision being blessed off by the 1SG or CSM. As far as the stolen property, he needs to report it to the proper authorities.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 27 at 2018 2:04 PM

2018-07-27T14:04:02-04:00

I have never had to deal with this. I would approach the claims office and hope for an investigation. I was doing spring clean up with the soldiers and a weed eater hit a soldiers windows. I told him to go to claims, claims later called me and I confirmed the story. They were surprised a CPT was doing spring cleanup lol.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Jul 27 at 2018 2:41 PM

2018-07-27T14:41:10-04:00

You should most definitely press charges on that NCO. First, it is the only way to ensure something happens to get your stuff back. Second, do you really want to come up in the military with superiors who believe that they can do whatever they want without consequence. There was a line, your NCO crossed it, he needs to be punished for it.

Response by SFC William Stephens A. Jr., 3 MSM, JSCM made Jul 27 at 2018 3:17 PM

2018-07-27T15:17:43-04:00

lock you shit if you don't have a high dollar value sheet with the items listed on it and your senior NCO didn't inventory it and has a copy on hand you are shit out of luck. But soldiers don't like to do extra paperwork to save their asses. Lesson Learned

Response by Kari Hazeltine made Jul 27 at 2018 3:34 PM

2018-07-27T15:34:36-04:00

Update: His command has set up a meeting for him on Monday. He is under the impression they will go over his high dollar value sheet and explain the proper steps in filing a report for the other personal items & requesting charges to be filed.
Although I have discovered today through other outlets that theft is a big problem on base, I hope this information will somehow help others. We appreciate your advice very much. I will share the outcome here for future reference.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2018 6:23 PM

2018-07-27T18:23:25-04:00

HELL YES PRESS CHARGES

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jul 27 at 2018 10:30 PM

2018-07-27T22:30:00-04:00

You maybe can have the MP's investigate, you have used the CoC- the NCO was wrong and should have known better- UCMJ is his/their problem, not yours in this case.

Response by SGT Mike Vary made Aug 18 at 2018 1:50 PM

2018-08-18T13:50:30-04:00

A line was crossed and a trust was broken, that NCO must be charged and punishment administered, otherwise the chain of command is unreliable!